Brush attachment for shaving cream cans



W67 D. D. KARNUTH BRUSH ATTACHMENT FOR SHAVING CREAM CANS Filed April 18, 1966 INVENTOR DELMAR DKARNUTH @Mmi ATTYS.

United States Patent 3,351,418 BRUSH ATTACHMENT FOR SHAVING CREAM CANS Delmar D. Karnuth, 1303 Nome Ave, Akron, ()hio 44320 Filed Apr. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 543,334 Claims. (Cl. 401270) This invention relates to a brush for mounting on cans of shaving cream, and more particularly, to a brush adapter for shaving cream cans whereby the adapter can be mounted on shaving cream cans having either vertical or horizontal cream escape nozzles.

It has long been recognized that there are many advantages to providing a brush adapter for attachment to a can of shaving cream. Usually, it is necessary to wet the face, and to direct the shaving cream onto ones hands whereby the lather is then rubbed on the face. Use of a brush adapter attached to a can of shaving cream Whereby shaving cream is dispensed directly into the brush permits the lather to be evenly distributed on the face with the user's hand remaining free from any of the lather. Further, there is no need to wet the face since it is possible to run the brush under hot water before dispensing the lather into the brush so that hot lather can be applied directly from the brush. Another important advantage in the use of a brush attachment is the conservation of the shaving cream since usually more lat-her than needed is directed onto the hand when no brush attachment is utilized. Such a brush adapter is time saving, handy, and eliminates the need to dispense lather onto the hands.

Of the many and various kinds of shaving cream cans now available on the market, practically all have either a vertically extending cream escape nozzle or a horizontal one. The vertically extending nozzle is actuated to let shaving cream escape therefrom by merely pushing the nozzle to one side or the other. The horizontal nozzles on shaving cream cans are usually actuated by some type of button which is pressed to release cream into the hori-,

zontal escape nozzle. Heretofore there have been some attempts to provide brush adapters for shaving cream cans but these have had the difiiculty that they are not readily adaptable to cans having either the vertical or horizontal cream escape nozzle. As a result, these prior art brush adapters have been inconvenient, impractical, and too expensive due to the fact that they cannot be readily changed from one type of can to another.

It is the general object in the present invention to overcome these prior art difficulties by providing a brush adapter for a can of shaving cream which is readily transferrable from a can having a vertically extending cream escape nozzle to one having a horizontal cream escape nozzle.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a brush adapter which is readily attachable to shaving cream cans of different sizes, shapes, and dimensions, and is efficient, and inexpensive.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the shaving brush attachment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevation with parts shown in cross section, particularly illustrating the embodiment of FIG. I mounted on a shaving cream can having a vertically extending nozzle;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 2, particularly illustrating the embodiment of FIG. 1 mounted on a can of shaving cream having a horizontally extending escape nozzle;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, partially broken away, cross ice sectional view taken substantially along line 4--4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevation of a can of shaving cream having a horizontally extending cream escape nozzle, particularly illustrating a standard cap utilized to dispense shaving cream out of the horizontal nozzle thereof.

In the drawings, and referring first to FIG. 1, the brush attachment of the invention basically consists of a brush body, indicated generally by the numeral 10, a ring 12, and a needle valve 14. Referring first to the ring 12, it is substantially the same size as and is adapted to slide over and snap onto a metal ring member 15 which is formed on top of a can of shaving cream, such as can 16 of FIG. 2. Ring 15 usually is adapted to engage with some closure member associated with the can of shaving cream, and is almost always the same size on all types of shaving cream cans. As illustrated best by FIGS. 2 and 3, the ring 12 snaps into engagement with the metal ring member 15 and 15a on shaving cream can 16 and 1612, respectively, and supports the brush body 10. A plurality of indents 17 are positioned around the inner peripheral surface of ring 12 which permit it to snap over and hold in engagement with bottom lip of the metal ring member 15. Integrally connected to ring 12 is an upwardly directed connecting arm 18 which holds a clip member 20 substantially over the ring 12 in spaced, parallel relation thereto. The clip member 20 has a slot 22 positioned therein and also has a pair of spaced holes 24 adapted to receive a pair of suitable rust resistant screws or fasteners 26 utilized to connect the ring 12 and clip member 20 to the brush body 10.

Slot 22 positioned in clip member 20 is adapted to receive for sliding movement therein the needle valve 14 in a manner best illustrated by FIG. 4. The needle valve 14 has an axially directed escape hole 28 positioned therein and also has an integral plastic gasket 30 secured to the top portion thereof. The needle valve 14 is supported by and slidably rides on the flanges forming slot 22 in clip member 20 so that the needle valve 14 can be slide radially outwardly or radially inwardly in slots 22 for the purpose which will be explained hereinafter.

The brush body, indicated generally by the numeral 10, has mounted internally therein an axially directed tube 32, having internal threads 34. Extending radially outwardly from tube 32 are a plurality of integral ears 36 which form to the inner peripheral surface of brush body 10 at 38, as best illustrated by FIG. 1. Positioned in ears 36 substantially in alignment with holes 24 of clip member 20 are a pair of holes 40 which are adapted to receive screws 26 so that clip member 20 can be secured thereto.

Secured to brush body 10 by a suitable adhesive layer 42 is a suitable shaving brush 44. The brush 44 is mounted on said brush body substantially in alignment with tube 32 and the brush 441 has a hollow portion 45 at its base which communicates with tube 32 by means of opening 46 in the brush body 10 so that cream coming up through tube 32, as will be explained hereinafter, can flow into the brush 44. Mounted to said brush body and extending outwardly therefrom is a flange 47 used to actuate the nozzle on the shaving cream can as will be explained hereinafter. The flange 47 is normally contemplated to be integrally molded with the :brush body 10. It is particularly important that at least one of the indents 17 be positioned opposite to the flange 47 to prevent the ring 12 from tipping upwardly off the ring member of the can when the flange 47 is pressed.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 4, these figures particularly illustrate the brush attachment of the invention mounted onto a shaving cream can 16 which has a vertically extending nozzle 48, As explained hereinbefore,

vertically extending nozzle 48 is actuated by pushing it to one side or the other whereby the shaving cream in the can escapes through discharge nozzle 50 and into nozzle 48. Nozzle 48 has threads 52 thereon, the purpose of such threads being to engage with a suitable closure cap (not shown) which is utilized when the can is not in use. Thus, it can be easily seen that the brush attachment of the invention can be readily secured to shaving can 16 by merely removing the closure cap (not shown), snapping ring 12 into close fitting engagement with metal ring member 15 of the can 16 while at the same time threadably screwing tube 32 with threads 34 onto threaded nozzle 48. As such as done, needle valve 14 is manually slid radially outwardly in slot 22, as illustrated by FIG. 4, since a tight seal is effected between the threads 34 of tube 32 and thread 52 of nozzle 48 whereby the needle valve 14 need not be utilized. The nozzle 48 is actuated by merely depressing flange 47 causing the entire brush body 10 with nozzle 48 contained therein to tilt out of axial alignment so that cream will discharge u through nozzle 48. As can be readily visualized, the shaving cream will travel out of nozzle 48, into tube 32, through opening 46 at the base of the brush 44, and into the brush whereby it can be applied to the face of the user.

FIG. illustrates a can of shaving cream 16b which utilizes a standard horizontal escape nozzle 54. The escape nozzle is formed as an integral part of a plastic closure cap indicated generally by the numeral 56 which has a depressable button portion 58. Button portion 58 has mounted thereto downwardly extending socket portion 60 which receives an upwardly extending discharge nozzle 5017 which is similar to discharge nozzle 50 illustrated in FIG. 4. The horizontal nozzle 50b is activated by depressing button 58 so that nozzle 5012 will also slightly depress in order to let the cream escape from the can and out through a suitable gutter (not shown) and into horizontal escape nozzle 54. As is usual for this construction, the horizontal nozzle 54 and closure Cap 56 are formed integral to each other and are made out of a durable, resilient piece of molded plastic which snaps onto ring member 15b on the top of can 16b.

As a result, this entire closure cap 56 and nozzle 54 can be manually pried ofi the ring member 15b on the top of can 16b. Such must be done in order to adapt the brush attachment of the invention to can 16b. As illustrated by FIG. 3, can 16b will have only discharge nozzle 50b remaining when closure 56 and nozzle 54 are pried off ring member 15b on top of can 16b. Nozzle 50b is substantially smaller than vertically extending nozzle 48 illustrating in FIG. 4 and it has no threads thereon.

In order to adapt the brush attachment of the invention to the can 1612 after closure 56 has been pried 011, the needle valve 14 is slid radially inwardly in slot 22 until it is positioned substantially in the center of clip member 20 and axially aligned with the tube 32. As needle valve 14 is slid inwardly in slot 22, it also is worked over nozzle 50b until the nozzle is force fit therein, as illustrated by FIG. 3. When such occurs, gasket 30 formed integral with needle valve 14 will fit up into and seal between the needle valve 14 and tube 32. Thus, the needle valve seals the connection between nozzle 5% and tube 32 in order to permit the shaving cream to pass between nozzle 50b and tube 32 and into brush 44. The nozzle 50b is actuated by again depressing flange 47 so that the entire brush body slightly tilts and depresses in order to depress nozzle 50b.

Therefore, it can be easily visualized that by utilization of needle valve 14, either by force fitting it over nozzle 50b or by merely sliding it radially outwardly out of the way so that nozzle 48 can be threadably received by tube 30, the brush attachment can be adapted to shaving cream cans having both vertical and horizontal cream escape nozzles. The side flange of brush body 10 holds the valve 14 from sliding out of the slot 22. Further, all components are contemplated to be made inexpensively from molded plastic, and preferably this includes integral molding of the three basic components, namely the brush body 10, ring 12 and valve 14. Any suitable means to attach the brush body 10 to the ring 12 may be utilized.

While a certain representative embodiment and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination:

a can of shaving cream having a top metal ring member and cream dispensing nozzle thereon,

a plastic ring adapted to slide over and snap into engagement with the metal ring member of the can of shaving cream,

a substantially flat, circular shaped clip member integrally joined to said ring by an upwardly directed connecting arm holding said clip member substantially over said ring in spaced, parallel relation thereto, said clip member having a slot therein to allow the nozzle of the can of shaving cream to pass therethrough,

a brush body mounted on said clip member,

an axially directed tube mounted internally of said body adapted to receive therein the upwardly directed nozzle of the can of shaving cream,

a flange mounted to said body and extending outwardly therefrom, and

a brush mounted on said brush body substantially in alignment with said tube whereby depressing said flange causes actuation of said nozzle to eflect a flow of shaving cream through said nozzle and said tube and into said brush.

2. The combination according to claim 1 and including a needle valve slidably received in the slot in said clip member, said needle valve having an axially directed escape hole extending therethrough whereby said valve can engage and seal the connection between said nozzle and said tube with the escape hole passing the cream therebetween upon actuation of said nozzle.

3. The combination according to claim 2, whereby said needle valve slidably rides in the slot in said clip member, said needle valve being slidable radially outwardly in said slot when said nozzle extends substantially into said tube whereby no seal by said needle valve between said nozzle and said tube need be aifected.

4. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said axially directed tube has internal threads adapted to threadably engage with the upwardly extending nozzle of the can of shaving cream.

5. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said brush is adhesively secured to said brush body, said brush having a head portion and a base portion with the base portion having an axially directed bore therein which receives the shaving cream from said tube and introduces it into the head portion of said brush.

6. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the end of said tube remote from said brush is supported by a plurality of integral ears extending radially outwardly therefrom, said ears connecting to the inner peripheral surface of said brush body.

7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein said clip member is secured to said integral ears by suitable rust resistant screw means.

8. In combination:

a can of shaving cream having a top metal ring member and cream dispensing nozzle thereon,

a brush body attached to said can of shaving cream,

said brush body including a plastic ring engaging the metal ring member of the can of shaving cream,

a circular shaped clip member integrally joined to said ring in spaced, parallel relation thereto, said clip member having a radially directed slot positioned therein,

means connecting said clip member to said brush body whereby the nozzle of the can of shaving cream eX- tends upwardly through said slot,

needle valve means slidably carried by said slot whereby said needle valve means can be slid radially in- Wardly in said slot and connected to the upwardly extending nozzle of said can of shaving cream,

a brush mounted on said brush body,

internal tube means connecting said brush to said needle valve means whereby a passageway extends between said brush and said upwardly extending nozzle, and

means actuating the nozzle on said can of shaving cream whereby shaving cream flows from said nozzle through said passageway to said brush.

9. The combination according to claim 8 whereby said needle valve means is slid radially outwardly in said slot to permit the upwardly extending nozzle of said can of shaving cream to communicate directly with said internal tube means, and whereby indents formed on the inner peripheral surface of said ring allow said ring to snap into engagement with the metal ring member formed on top of said can.

10. The combination according to claim 9 wherein said internal tube means is threaded on the inner peripheral surface thereof with the upwardly extending nozzle of said can of shaving cream threadably engaging therewith.

References ilited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,764,772 10/1956 Slaskowski et a1.

3,093,857 6/1963 Hersh 132-81 X 3,137,885 6/1964 Hulsh 15-552 3,231,923 2/1966 Gaines 15-552 3,256,549 6/1966 Evesque 15-552 3,257,044 6/1966 Seaquist 222-40213 3,260,416 7/1966 Abplanalp 222-40213 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. R. I. SMITH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION: A CAR OF SHAVING CREAM HAVING A TOP METAL RING MEMBER AND CREAM DISPENSING NOZZLE THEREON, A PLASTIC RING ADAPTED TO SLIDE OVER AND SNAP INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE METAL RING MEMBER OF THE CAN OF SHAVING CREAM, A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT, CIRCULAR SHAPED CLIP MEMBER INTEGRALLY JOINED TO SAID RING BY AN UPWARDLY DIRECTED CONNECTING ARM HOLDING SAID CLIP MEMBER SUBSTANTIALLY OVER SAID RING IN SPACED, PARALLEL RELATION THERETO, SAID CLIP MEMBER HAVING A SLOT THEREIN TO ALLOW THE NOZZLE OF THE CAN OF SHAVING CREAM TO PASS THERETHROUGH, A BRUSH BODY MOUNTED ON SAID CLIP MEMBER, AN AXIALLY DIRECTED TUBE MOUNTED INTERNALLY OF SAID BODY ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THEREIN THE UPWARDLY DIRECTED NOZZLE OF THE CAN OF SHAVING CREAM, A FLANGE MOUNTED TO SAID BODY AND EXTENIDNG OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, AND A BRUSH MOUNTED ON SAID BRUSH BODY SUBSTANTIALLY IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID TUBE WHEREBY DEPRESSING SAID FLANGE CAUSES ACTUATION OF SAID NOZZLE TO EFFECT A FLOW OF SHAVING CREAM THEROUGH SAID NOZZLE AND SAID TUBE AND INTO SAID BRUSH. 